The Conservatives have yet again stressed the protest they waged against the plans of the government of the United Kingdom to raise money through a broadband tax of 50 pence, imposed on the fixed phone users in the country, to fund the next generation superfast fibre optic broadband network rollout across the United Kingdom.

The spearhead of the Conservatives this time, has been the shadow culture secretary Jeremy Hunt who said that the GBP 6 per year broadband tax proposal of the Labour government was totally unacceptable, on the grounds that around 3 million UK homes that did not have internet access would be forced to pay for it.

The shadow cultural secretary added that not only millions that did not want internet services would have to pay for it, but also thousands would be left without web access for the reason that they would not be able to afford it. Hunt was giving it to the popular UK tabloid, the Sun.

While Hunt maintained that it was not fair, not neccessary and hence not acceptable, the newspaper commented that it was also understood that almost 200,000 households in the United Kingdom might just not find the next generation broadband tax affordable.

Meanwhile, the government has retaliated with the claim that only 70 per cent of the country’s population would be served with the super fast fibre optic broadband services by 2017, if public sector funding was not carried out. It is also worth mentioning here that Lord Mandelson, business secretary of the UK had launched a consultation recently on how the fund raised through the tax would be spent.

Related posts:

1. Fibre Optic Concerns of Highlands outlined by MP
2. Tories Assure ‘Super-Fast’ Broadband By 2017
3. Next Generation Broadband defined not just by their speed but also on quality
4. Business Leaders in Dorset back Fibre Broadband Plans
5. The 50p tax will compel 200000 homes to disconnect internet, say Tories